City Posts Draft Guidelines for the City’s Reparations Restorative Housing Program

On the evening of March 17, the City posted draft Guidelines for the City’s Local Reparations Restorative Housing Program on its website. It is expected that the Guidelines will be discussed, and perhaps acted upon, by City Council at its March 22 meeting.

While most of the Guidelines have been discussed by the City’s Reparations Subcommittee, a complete draft of the Guidelines has not previously been made public. On Feb. 25, Kimberly Richardson, Deputy City Manager, said, “The public will have access to the guidelines when they are part of the packet for City Council.” Until then we are still working on that document. So, we don’t want to publish anything that is a working document.”

In recent weeks, a group of residents have sought to stop or at least delay the expected March 22 vote by City Council. They maintain that the current iteration of reparations is not enough and that their voices have been ignored. An article is available here.

See   https://evanstonroundtable.com/2021/03/07/critics-of-restorative-housing-reparations-program-voice-concern-and-anger-ahead-of-vote-by-city-council/

Some Background

In November 2019, City Council decided to create a Reparations Fund and to deposit up to $10 million in City tax revenues collected from the sale of recreational marijuana into that fund.

Council also created a Reparations Subcommittee and asked the committee to consider the viability of two recommendations: 1) housing assistance and relief initiatives for Black residents in Evanston, and 2) various economic development programs and opportunities for Black residents and entrepreneurs in Evanston.

The Subcommittee is composed of Aldermen Robin Rue Simmons (5th Ward), Peter Braithwaite (2nd Ward) and Ann Rainey (8th Ward).